Frequently Asked Questions
We hear the same questions from Los Angeles homeowners every week, so we put the answers in one place. If you don’t see yours below, call us at (743) 200-8347 – a live person answers, day or night.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does roofing service cost in Los Angeles?
Most roof repairs in Los Angeles run between $350 and $1,800, while a full asphalt shingle replacement on a typical 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home runs $12,000 to $26,000 depending on pitch, tear-off layers, and whether the decking (the wood boards under your shingles) needs replacement. Emergency leak repairs that stop active water intrusion usually land between $500 and $2,500, and small fixes like a cracked pipe boot or a resealed vent often fall under $600. Tile and metal systems sit higher, usually $18,000 to $45,000 installed, because the materials and labor both take longer. These ranges reflect real LA market costs, not national averages – coastal properties in Santa Monica and Playa del Rey tend to run toward the higher end because salt air accelerates corrosion on flashing and fasteners. Call (743) 200-8347 for an exact written price for your roof.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, every Mercer Roofing estimate is free, and it comes in writing before any work begins. We don’t do ballpark numbers over the phone and then surprise you with a bigger invoice – the price we quote at the inspection is the price on your final bill. If we find something unexpected once we’re on the roof, we stop and talk with you before touching anything else. That written-price-before-work rule is part of the Threshold Verified standard we operate under. Call (743) 200-8347 to schedule yours.
Why do roofing quotes vary so much between companies?
Quotes vary mainly because contractors price different scopes of work, not the same job at different rates. One roofer may quote a patch over the leak, another may quote replacing the whole slope, and a third may include new underlayment (the moisture barrier under your shingles) that the others left out. Always compare line items: tear-off, decking, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, and disposal. A written estimate from Mercer breaks out each of those, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.
Can I get a written price before you start?
Yes – no Mercer crew starts a single nail until you’ve approved a written price. This isn’t optional or conditional; it’s how every job works. You’ll have the scope, the materials, the timeline, and the total in writing, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise is spelled out on the same document. That means if anything isn’t right within a year, we come back and make it right.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards, debit cards, checks, and standard financing options for larger replacement projects. For repairs, most homeowners pay by card or check once the work is finished and inspected. We’ll walk you through financing during the estimate if you’d rather spread a replacement cost over monthly payments.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency roofing service in Los Angeles?
Yes, we handle emergency roof leaks and storm damage, and a live person answers our phone 24/7 – not a voicemail, not a call-back form. LA’s rainy season, roughly November through March, is when we get the most emergency calls, often after a Pineapple Express storm dumps two inches in a day and finds every weak flashing detail on an older roof. In those cases we tarp the leak first to stop the water, then schedule the permanent repair. Call (743) 200-8347 any hour and someone will pick up.
How fast can you respond?
For active emergencies, we aim to be on your roof the same day, and often within a few hours depending on traffic and how many other calls are running. Standard repair appointments are usually scheduled within one to three days. If you’re watching water come through a ceiling, call (743) 200-8347 right away and tell the person who answers what you’re seeing – they’ll prioritize it.
How long does a roof repair take?
Most roof repairs are finished in a single visit, usually two to five hours. More involved work – replacing a whole slope, rebuilding a valley, or chasing water damage across multiple areas – can stretch to a full day or two. Full replacements typically take two to four days for an average LA home, longer for tile or complex rooflines. You’ll get a clear timeline in writing before we start.
Do I need to be home during the work?
You don’t have to be home the entire time, but we do ask that you’re there for the initial arrival so we can badge in and walk the scope with you. Every Mercer technician arrives in a clean, marked uniform and presents a photo ID badge at the door, and we send you their name and photo before they arrive so you know exactly who’s coming. That’s the whole point – no strangers at your door, no guesswork.
How do you protect my roof and yard during a replacement?
We cover landscaping, walkways, and driveways with tarps before tear-off begins, and we run magnetic sweeps at the end of each day to pick up stray nails. Tear-off debris goes into dumpsters placed to avoid blocking your driveway where possible. Tell us about anything fragile – a car in the driveway, a garden bed under the eaves, a solar array – and we’ll plan around it.
What’s the step-by-step process when I hire Mercer Roofing?
Here’s exactly how a job unfolds, from your first call to the final walkthrough:
- You call (743) 200-8347 and a live person answers – any hour, any day. We ask what’s happening and schedule an inspection.
- We send your technician’s name and photo before the visit. When they arrive, they badge in with a photo ID and a clean, marked uniform.
- We inspect the roof and give you a written price – line by line, covering labor, materials, and any decking or flashing work.
- You approve the written price and scope. Nothing starts without your sign-off.
- We complete the work using manufacturer-recognized materials – GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, Tamko, or Boral – and clean the site each day.
- We walk the finished roof with you and hand you the written guarantee, which covers the work for 365 days. If the repair fails in that window, we come back free.
Licensing, Guarantees & Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, Mercer Roofing is a licensed and insured roofing contractor, and we’re happy to show documentation before work begins. Insurance matters more than most homeowners realize – if an uninsured crew member gets hurt on your roof, that can become your problem. Ask any roofer for proof of both license and insurance, and don’t be shy about it. We’ll provide ours without hesitation.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes – every Mercer repair carries a written guarantee, and it’s covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the work isn’t right within a year, we come back and make it right at no charge, including a free second visit if a repair fails. That guarantee is printed on your paperwork, not just spoken at the door, so you have it in hand if you ever need it. The written guarantee is included with every job, never an add-on.
Who will actually show up at my door?
You’ll know before they arrive. We send you the name and photo of your technician in advance, and when they reach your door they present a photo ID badge and a clean, marked uniform. Every Mercer technician is background-checked and identity-verified under the Threshold Standard, the quality framework each independently owned location is contractually held to. If your technician doesn’t match the photo we sent, don’t let them in, and call us.
Why does Mercer Roofing make such a point of who comes to your door?
Because for a lot of homeowners – people living alone, parents with young kids, older folks who’ve had a bad experience with a contractor – opening the door is the hardest part of the whole job. We built our process around that: name and photo ahead of time, badge at the door, uniform, and a written price before anything starts. You shouldn’t have to wonder who’s on your roof or what they’ll charge when they come down. Grant Whitlock, who leads Mercer Roofing, put it plainly: the roof is the job, but earning the right to be on it is the work.
What is the Threshold Standard?
The Threshold Standard is the quality framework every Mercer Roofing location operates under. It requires background-checked, identity-verified, photo-badged, uniformed technicians on every visit, plus written pricing before work begins and written guarantees on every job. Mercer Roofing is part of the Threshold Group family, founded in 2000, and each location is independently owned and operated under these standards. It’s the closest thing to a vetting checklist you can hold a roofer to.
Are you part of a big national chain?
No – Mercer Roofing is an independently owned and operated business, and it’s part of the Threshold Group family, founded in 2000. Each Threshold Group location is locally run and held to the Threshold Verified standard for technician vetting and pricing transparency. You’re hiring a local roofer who works under a shared quality framework, not a franchise call center.
Roof Repair, Replacement & Materials
Do you handle roof repair?
Yes, roof repair is our most common call, and we handle everything from a single cracked pipe boot to full flashing rebuilds. Common LA repairs include dried-out pipe boot seals (those rubber collars around plumbing vents that crack after a few summers of UV), lifted or rusted flashing, and valley leaks where two roof planes meet. We repair with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, Tamko, and Boral materials so the patch matches what’s already on your roof. For a closer look at how we handle this, see our Roof Repair in Los Angeles page.
Do you handle roof replacement and installation?
Yes, we install complete roof systems, and every replacement starts with a written price. A full install means tear-off of the old layers, inspection and replacement of any rotted decking, new underlayment, new flashing, and the finished roofing – not just shingles nailed over what’s there. Skipping the decking and underlayment is how cheap replacement quotes get cheap, and it’s how roofs fail early. We install GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, Tamko, and Boral systems.
Do you handle metal roofing?
Yes, we install metal roofing, including standing seam and exposed-fastener panels. Metal is a strong fit for LA homes near the coast because it handles salt air and UV better than asphalt, and it lasts considerably longer. The tradeoff is cost – metal systems typically run $18,000 to $45,000 installed – and installation requires different flashing and fastener details than shingles. We’ll tell you honestly whether your roof structure and budget make sense for it.
Do you handle tile roofing?
Yes, we repair and install tile roofing, including clay and concrete tile common on Spanish-style homes across Los Angeles. Tile itself can last decades, but it’s the underlayment beneath it that usually fails first – so a tile repair often means carefully lifting tiles, replacing the underlayment, and resetting the originals. This is delicate work, and broken tiles from careless crews are a real problem. We stock replacements and take the time to walk the roof properly.
How do I know if I need a repair or a full replacement?
Repair usually makes sense when the damage is isolated and the roof is under about 15 years old; replacement makes more sense when leaks are in multiple areas, the shingles are brittle from UV, or the roof is past its expected life. In Los Angeles, sun exposure is the main killer – a 25-year shingle often doesn’t make it that long on a west-facing slope. We’ll give you the honest read and show you what we’re seeing, with photos.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace my roof?
A repair is almost always cheaper up front – typically $350 to $1,800 versus $12,000 and up for a replacement. But if you’re repairing the same roof every year or two, those costs stack up and you’re still living under a failing roof. The break-even usually comes when repairs are needed in three or more separate areas or the roof is over 20 years old. We’ll lay out both options with real numbers so you can decide.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding communities, from the San Fernando Valley and Santa Monica to the South Bay and the neighborhoods in between. If you’re not sure whether you’re inside our service area, call (743) 200-8347 and we’ll tell you straight. For neighborhoods at the edge of the city – think Woodland Hills, San Pedro, or Eagle Rock – the answer is usually yes.
How long does a roof typically last in Los Angeles?
Asphalt shingle roofs in LA usually last 15 to 25 years, tile roofs 40 to 50 years, and metal roofs 40 years or more. LA’s intense sun, not rain, is what shortens shingle life here – south and west-facing slopes take the worst of it. If your roof is past 20 and you’re seeing granules collecting in gutters, it’s worth an inspection before the next rainy season.
Do you work with insurance claims for storm or tree damage?
Yes, we document storm and impact damage with photos and written scope so you have what your insurer needs. We can meet your adjuster on the roof if that helps move the claim along. We don’t handle the claim for you, but we make sure the damage is properly recorded and the repair scope is clear.
Getting Started
What should I have ready when I call?
Just have your address and a rough idea of what you’re seeing – a stain on the ceiling, missing shingles, a leak after a storm. That’s enough for us to book the right kind of visit. If you can safely snap a photo from the ground, even better, but never climb up on the roof to do it. Call (743) 200-8347 and a live person will take it from there.
Can you come today?
Often, yes – especially for active leaks. We keep same-day capacity open for emergencies, and if we can’t get there today we’ll tell you honestly and tarp or advise you on limiting the damage in the meantime. The person who answers the phone is the same person who can slot you in, so it’s worth calling. Reach us any hour at (743) 200-8347.
If you didn’t find your answer here, that’s fine – just call. We’d rather spend five minutes on the phone than have you guess about your roof. We’ll give you a straight answer, a written price, and a clear sense of who’s coming and when.
Call Mercer Roofing at (743) 200-8347 for a free estimate. Live person answers 24/7. Written price before any work starts, every repair backed by a written guarantee for 365 days, and every technician background-checked, identity-verified, and badged at your door.
Written by Grant Whitlock, Owner at Mercer Roofing, serving Los Angeles since 2000.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Mercer Roofing at (743) 200-8347.